prospective cohort study

Definition of prospective cohort study

prospective cohort study (pruh-SPEK-tiv KOH-hort STUH-dee): A research study that follows over time groups of individuals who are alike in many ways but differ by a certain characteristic (for example, female nurses who smoke and those who do not smoke) and compares them for a particular outcome (such as lung cancer).

Source: NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms